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Congratulations!

The Commonwealth is fortunate to have you among its leadership.

We in the Office of the Comptroller look forward to working with you.

In addition to your mission-based responsibilities, you have responsibility for the financial management and fiscal oversight of your agency. This critical oversight falls upon you under state finance law and the Comptroller’s decentralized Department Head Authority Policy.

Under the policies of the Office of the Comptroller, while retaining overall responsibility, you may delegate the day-to-day responsibilities among certain members of your leadership team and staff utilizing the Department Head Signature Authorization Policy. For details regarding the responsibilities of the key contacts, please review the Key State Law Compliance Roles and Responsibilities document.

Stacy Hoag, CTR’s Enterprise Relationship Manager, serves ready to speak or meet with you and members of your leadership team to explain these key policies to you in greater detail and to help set your agency up to comply with these policies.

Your Immediate Attention Is Required

Within 30 days, please complete the following forms and return them to the Office of the Comptroller (CTR). Completed forms can be sent to:

Beth Hemond – [email protected]
Stacy Hoag – [email protected]

Forms and Explanations

Signature Delegation

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This process will allow you and your delegates to use electronic signatures.

The CTR Signature Authorization and Electronic Signatures for MMARS Transactions Policy outlines what’s required to delegate signature authorization and to use electronic signatures for MMARS documents within the accounting system. Once the department head has delegated this authority, your agency’s department security officer must enter the MMARS transaction document, UDOC, to grant this level of authorization.

NOTE: Without re-approval, anyone who has previously received signatory authority will automatically lose it after 30 days of you assuming office.

State Finance Law Key Compliance Responsibilities Form

Each Department designates individuals to represent their agency regarding business with the Office of the Comptroller. We notify these people about new developments or requirements in state finance law, regulations, or policy.

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Please designate or confirm the following individuals using this form.

  • Department Head (yourself)
  • Chief Fiscal Officer
  • General Counsel
  • Department Security Officer
  • Internal Control Officer
  • Payroll Director
  • MMARS Liaison
  • Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) Liaison
  • Single Audit Liaison

View descriptions of the above roles.

NOTE: Appointments to these key contact roles cannot be made to contractors, contract employees, non-employees, or employees of another department, and should not be shared among multiple departments.

The form also asks for two key points-of-contact for two-way communications with the BEST Program.

  • BEST Chief Point of Contact for Agency
    For communications, coordination of meetings, information dissemination, and on-going feedback. This point-of-contact OC would be cc’d on any communications sent to the Technical POC or other agency staff working with the Project.
  • BEST Technical Point of Contact
    For coordination of input on items such as your agency’s software applications and interfaced data, other data exchanges, business intelligence/analytics, and reporting needs, impacts on agency systems, operational protocols, and security concerns.

Annual Approval of Statewide Systems Security

The Annual Security Approval certifies that department heads have reviewed and approved Enterprise System Security Reports.

Within 30 days of assuming the position, each new department head must conduct an Annual Security Approval. This approval also takes place prior to each fiscal year.

Once you have conducted this review, certify, sign, and return the Department Head Annual Approval of Statewide Enterprise Systems Security Access form.

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View our Statewide Enterprise Systems Security Policy for more information.

Security Officer Designation

CTR requires that you appoint your Security Officer and, if you decide, any Backup Security Officers.

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Additional CTR Resources

CTR Policies

This is a public-facing repository of all Office of the Comptroller policies pertaining to state finance, financial records retention, payroll, budgets, enterprise systems, and enterprise security.

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CTR Regulations

815 CMR applies to the fiscal transactions of the Commonwealth.

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Fiscal Year Memos

Fiscal Year Memos contain policy/procedure information issued for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for a specific fiscal year.

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Expenditure Classification Handbook

This Handbook includes the object code descriptions and instructions regarding the encumbering and expenditure of all funds and is used for all expenditures of the Commonwealth.

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Conducting Best Value Procurements

Guidance to Executive Departments on conducting competitive procurements, purchasing, and contract management requirements for goods and services, including use of the COMMBUYS.

VIEW ON MASS.GOV
CTR Cyber

The Office of the Comptroller has developed CTR Cyber to identify key cybersecurity internal controls for Commonwealth of Massachusetts departments, and to promote cybersecurity awareness and cyber vigilance for everyone in these organizations.

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Internal Controls

Tthe Comptroller is responsible for developing internal control guidelines for Commonwealth departments.

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MMARS Security Request Form

Can be used as part of your internal controls.

VIEW WORD DOC
Chapter 647 of the Acts of 1989: Internal Control Legislation

An act relative to improving internal controls within state agencies.

VIEW ON MASS.GOV
Close / Open Calendar

Information regarding compliance and deadlines relating the close and open of a fiscal year.

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CTR Weekly Update

CTR issues weekly communications on guidance, new initiatives, and other news to MMARS and HR/CMS users, and key department contacts.

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CTR Statewide Learning

CTR provides training on state finance related topics for employees of state agencies.

VISIT ON CTR INTRANET